20 dead, 12 missing, thousands homeless: that’s the toll of 36 hours of torrential rain and floods in the south-east of France, to which incalculable material damage should also be added. The images of the disaster transmitted by the main television new bulletins unleashed a wave of national solidarity, urged also by the main charitable organizations such as the Red Cross and French Caritas. The latter, present in the more badly affected areas together with other Catholic aid agencies, organized a camp site and first-aid centre, providing medical and counselling assistance and temporary shelter to over 300 homeless. Other first-aid centres were activated in the area of Hérault where a dozen or so volunteers are helping to look after the homeless in a converted school building. The worst hit areas include those of Gard, Ardèche and Drôme du Vaucluse. An invitation to prayer was made by the bishop of Nîmes, Robert Wattebled: “Our brotherly solidarity is part of our having been made in the likeness of God. It gives comfort to the victims and fortifies us all”.
